diff --git a/drivers/dfplayer/dfplayer.c b/drivers/dfplayer/dfplayer.c
index fd4e345580..ea191ddf6c 100644
--- a/drivers/dfplayer/dfplayer.c
+++ b/drivers/dfplayer/dfplayer.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @}
  */
-#include <assert.h>
+
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
diff --git a/drivers/encx24j600/encx24j600.c b/drivers/encx24j600/encx24j600.c
index 0e158a39f6..8a2e500ca3 100644
--- a/drivers/encx24j600/encx24j600.c
+++ b/drivers/encx24j600/encx24j600.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
  * @}
  */
 
-#include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
 #include "mutex.h"
diff --git a/drivers/hd44780/hd44780.c b/drivers/hd44780/hd44780.c
index 929232d627..db935216e5 100644
--- a/drivers/hd44780/hd44780.c
+++ b/drivers/hd44780/hd44780.c
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
  * @}
  */
 
-#include <assert.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "log.h"
diff --git a/drivers/hts221/hts221.c b/drivers/hts221/hts221.c
index a22e057ba9..f8ec4631a7 100644
--- a/drivers/hts221/hts221.c
+++ b/drivers/hts221/hts221.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-#include "assert.h"
 #include "hts221.h"
 #include "periph/i2c.h"
 #include "xtimer.h"
diff --git a/drivers/include/periph/pm.h b/drivers/include/periph/pm.h
index 6533a0f1c2..bcee40fd74 100644
--- a/drivers/include/periph/pm.h
+++ b/drivers/include/periph/pm.h
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #ifndef PERIPH_PM_H
 #define PERIPH_PM_H
 
-#include "assert.h"
 #include "periph_cpu.h"
 
 #ifdef MODULE_PM_LAYERED
diff --git a/drivers/rn2xx3/rn2xx3_getset.c b/drivers/rn2xx3/rn2xx3_getset.c
index 1785dfa805..9f09cb8f96 100644
--- a/drivers/rn2xx3/rn2xx3_getset.c
+++ b/drivers/rn2xx3/rn2xx3_getset.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-#include "assert.h"
 #include "fmt.h"
 
 #include "net/loramac.h"
diff --git a/drivers/seesaw_soil/seesaw_soil.c b/drivers/seesaw_soil/seesaw_soil.c
index d867a69091..f9419420c7 100644
--- a/drivers/seesaw_soil/seesaw_soil.c
+++ b/drivers/seesaw_soil/seesaw_soil.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 
 #include <string.h>
 
-#include "assert.h"
 #include "byteorder.h"
 #include "xtimer.h"
 #include "periph/i2c.h"
diff --git a/drivers/soft_uart/include/soft_uart_params.h b/drivers/soft_uart/include/soft_uart_params.h
index 2134a445ec..785e2a717f 100644
--- a/drivers/soft_uart/include/soft_uart_params.h
+++ b/drivers/soft_uart/include/soft_uart_params.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "soft_uart.h"
 #include "macros/units.h"
+#include "kernel_defines.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
diff --git a/drivers/soft_uart/soft_uart.c b/drivers/soft_uart/soft_uart.c
index 6a6c14c13c..52fe01787a 100644
--- a/drivers/soft_uart/soft_uart.c
+++ b/drivers/soft_uart/soft_uart.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
  */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <assert.h>
 
 #include "mutex.h"
 #include "soft_uart.h"
diff --git a/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c b/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c
index ef388bc5ea..d8fcff66e8 100644
--- a/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c
+++ b/drivers/ws281x/ws281x.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  *
  * @}
  */
-#include <assert.h>
+
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <string.h>